Bound
by Libra-Library
Summary: Post KFP2. Even the most sacred of spaces can rest upon wicked soil. In the aftermath of the battle at Gongmen, strange events plague the palace. Fires start, screams ring out in the night, and at the center of it all is a strange little spider in ruined wedding finery. T for dark elements, blood, and romanized foreign profanity. Some light TiPo at points.
1. Prologue: Tether

**Prologue: Tether**

**AN: A rewrite of my old KFP fanfic from my old abandoned dA account. Kung Fu Panda belongs to Dreamworks. Some elements in this story are inspired by the Fatal Frame series, owned by Tecmo.**

The Valley of Peace was certainly deserving of the moniker. Though the village had seen its fair share of murderous madmen, destructive dictators, and chaos unimaginable, nightfall brought with it a sort of unannounced truce. Soon enough, the sun would rise, and with it some new threat to the serenity. Maybe another shamed warrior desperate for violent validation, or perhaps some arrogant king seeking reparations for a misperceived slight. Whatever the daylight would expose would be dealt with in due time. For the moment, destiny was content to let the town be, awash in the gentle moonlight.

Lovely sight. Shame the overlooking palace was soaked in oblivious evil.

Koh Rin averted her eyes from the manor atop the hill, choosing instead to look down upon the village. As much as she would prefer to announce her presence at the Jade Palace and find shelter there, the rules of her profession were very clear: present yourself only when summoned. As far as she could tell, the inhabitants were not yet even aware of the beastly history laid to rest just beneath their feet. She'd have to take her chances and seek lodging in the town.

Not that she didn't think they would be tolerant. Their valley had been founded by another foreigner after all.

A gentle breeze carried the scent of peach blossoms past. _Ah. Speak of the devil._

Koh Rin hefted her pack up over one wing. "I don't suppose you know a place to stay?"

A little petal drifted past, swirling and dipping across the ground long after it should have come to rest amongst the grass. Koh Rin nodded. "Alright. I trust you."

Strange to so willingly put faith into a being manifesting as something inanimate. If it wasn't for the severity of the situation, Koh Rin may not have done so.

But the palace had to be cleansed.

* * *

_The situation has shifted._

Below the floorboards of the barracks, a small figure stirred. Milky white eyes, no longer seeing so much as sensing, fluttered open as she sat up. She yawned, scurrying over to the nearest external wall. She peeked her head out past the stones, and placed a hand on the dirt. Cool. She glanced up at the moon, noticing its shift from her last check.

"A few weeks then. Hm. Good nap."

She turned around, scaling the nearest beam to come up out of the barracks floor. She looked around cautiously, satisfied to see she had come up in the tiger's room, and it was still very much occupied. She ducked back down, ecstatic.

"Tigress didn't die while I was sleeping. That's good."

A quiet hissing noise from a distance startled her out of her celebration. She growled, poking through the wall facing the Hall of Warriors. Unafraid of waking the sleeping inhabitants, she yelled as loud as possible. "Shut the hell up you big infants! Honestly, if that cannon didn't kill her on the spot it wouldn't kill her now! Besides, that nurse of their's could heal a decapitation. That tiger is as good as immortal."

She drew back inside, chuckling. "Idiots."

Then she blinked. "How in the _hell _did I hear them all the way from-"

The hiss came again. From right outside the barracks.

"Oh."

Again. _Right behind her._

"You aren't supposed to leave-"


	2. Chapter 1: Omens

**Chapter One: Omens**

**A/N: This chapter contains several romanized Mandarin profanities. No translations will be provided here.**

The scream that ripped through the air was horrific. More than terror, more than pain; this was a scream of despair so deep the light of the moon itself seemed to waver in its strength.

Tigress sat straight up, and her injured ribs violently protested the harsh movement. Before the burst of discomfort forced her back down, she could have sworn she saw minute tendrils of smoke worming their way under the door. Stars sparked in her vision, and a wicked tinnitus blared in her ears as she hissed in pain. By the time the agony had subsided, the scream had faded, and any hint of the curling mistiness was gone. Tigress was again left alone in the silent dark. She huffed loudly, still reeling from the unexpected shock and pain, as she lit a candle to get a better view. There were no other noises in the night: no repeat performance, no indication of a reaction from anybody else, nothing. As far as Tigress could tell, the shriek was simply the figment of a dream.

But she was still on edge. It sounded uncomfortably real and close.

It sounded like it had come from under the floor.

With the probability of getting back to sleep decreasing more and more each second, Tigress decided to (carefully) attempt to get back up again. She cautiously made it to her feet, and slowly fumbled her way out the door. While the wound was getting better every day, she still had a ways to go before casual movement was easy again. She didn't want to complain; the fact that her ribs were still attached after that strike was a miracle in and of itself. But _gods _was it annoying being confined to her room.

"I don't think Amaya would approve-"

Tigress nearly flung Po through the wall for startling her. She rolled her eyes, leaning back against the wall. "You idiot."

The panda shrugged. "Sorry. But I saw the light in your room and you _really _shouldn't be out here."

Tigress nodded. "I'm aware. And all due respect to Amaya, but if I have to stay in bed a minute more I think I'll go crazy," she muttered the next part under her breath, "if I haven't already."

Po, having not heard the last bit, smiled. "Alright then. If we're already up..."

"You're about to suggest food aren't you."

Po had already brushed past her on his way to the kitchen. She rolled her eyes yet again, and then winced as her stomach stirred slightly. "Fine. But since we're already blatantly disregarding the doctor's orders, I want something solid. No more plain broth."

Po leaned out of the kitchen doorway, smirking. "What, can't live on broth and universe juice alo-"

He had no idea someone with a severe chest injury could move that fast. He looked up at her as she passed, huffing from the wind being knocked right out of him.

"Dumplings it is then."

* * *

Tigress actually enjoyed cooking. Despite hot surfaces and sharp tools, it was a good low stress way to take her mind off of more important things, like how hard she'd have to push to make up for lost training time. Or the strange screaming that woke her up. In fact, by the time the dumplings were finished, the disturbance had been pushed to the back of her mind. As the two friends snacked, she left her mind drift to other things. Upcoming visits from the remaining masters of Gongmen, minor issues with the croc bandits, anything else.

The moon outside was bright, highlighting the soft grass with silvery tips, and a cluster of bright butterflies dipped and darted playfully by the window. As the masters relaxed and conversed quietly, Tigress had almost forgotten what had woken her up.

Until the others burst into the kitchen shouting something about a fire.

By the time the six made it back to Tigress's room with pots of water, flames were pouring out at a rapid pace. Several servants were already tackling the blaze outside, struggling to prevent the entire building from catching. As the masters tossed the water onto the conflagration, the source of the accident became apparent: the candle Tigress had lit had been knocked over.

The inferno was intense, sending shimmering waves of heat distortion through the air. Intermingling with the smoke, it hindered visibility on a dangerous level. Fear of a collapse sent the Five and Dragon Warrior back, choking and quietly cursing under their breath. Tigress took one last glance back, and almost shouted.

There was someone in the room, seated by the candle. A little bug woman in an ornate dress, who turned to glare at Tigress with an immense and tangible hatred.

A rafter collapsed, and the mirage was gone.

Thankfully, the best efforts of the servants and warriors had not been in vain: the only serious damage was the external wall and roof of Tigress's room. Viper had already volunteered to share her room until repairs could be done, and the structural integrity of the rest of the building had been confirmed. A wave of relief washed over all who lived atop the mountain.

All except for Tigress. She continued to brood over the consequences of her carelessness. Po had been right; she shouldn't have left the room. The pain had her so distracted and out of touch that she had abandoned a lit candle in a room made of wood and rice paper. Any other time she would have snuffed the flame instinctively, but the injury had her confined for weeks. The candle hadn't been left unsupervised for some time.

Damned peacock. Still causing problems long after he was gone.

Po approached quietly, and took a seat next to his ally. The two sat in silence for a few minutes, taking in the full extent of the destruction.

"I don't get it. The candle shouldn't have been lit."

Wonderful. Even Po was stunned by her momentary incompetence.

"I know. I forgot to put it out when I left."

"I didn't."

Tigress shot him a quizzical glance. "...what?"

"When I saw the light I came to see what was wrong. You weren't in there, so I blew it out and came to look for you."

Silence. The wind shifted directions, sending little drafts of ash through the hall.

* * *

When the rafter came down, Aden Ming had sunk down under the floor, returning to her little sanctuary under the building. Hands clasped against the sides of her head, she groaned, sinking to her knees. Her back arched violently, and a dark, flowing smokiness fell out onto the floor. She rolled over onto her side, gasping for breath, as the murky darkness took vague shapes and squabbled. The camel spider shakily stood, and spat at the beasts. "You...you sick little wángbādàn! Get out! GET THE HELL OUT! Cào nǐ zǔzōng shíbā dài!"

The entities hissed, but complied, backing away. It would have been comical, these vicious demons submitting to the will of a minuscule foulmouthed waif, if they hadn't just attempted to burn an entire living hall of people. They phased through the wall, retreating back to Hall of Warriors. Aden Ming watched them go, and after the last disappeared, all of the rage slipped out of her expression. She leaned back against a support beam, sliding down to sit. Her entire form was shaking.

"Dà biàn."

The entire situation was a horrific mess. The demons hadn't inhabited her since the Chaos, and even then they didn't control her. Back then, every action was of her own will, aided by the demon's powers. But now she had no physical form. Why on earth would they want to overshadow her and use her to light and upturn a simple candle? Couldn't they have simply done it themselves? And why would they strike now...

Aden Ming groaned, knocking her forehead against the beam.

A red, sickly glow seeped through the cracks of the wood, and splintered it into small pieces.

The pieces hit the dirt, scattering in a wide radius around Aden Ming. She blinked, unable to comprehend what the hell had just happened.

"...Oh."

They didn't need a physical form to manipulate their powers. They didn't _have _their powers anymore. She had somehow retained them after the Chaos ended. And she had just only figured it out.

"...bái mù," she buried her face in her hands, moaning and embarassed. "Big dumb stupid actual bái mù."

* * *

Koh Rin wandered through the streets aimlessly, choosing to pass the time by familiarizing herself with the town. She was relieved to find that her expectations of friendliness were met; even after recognizing her status as a foreigner, she was greeted by the same smiles and neighborly conversations. It was refreshing. A wide radius of travel tended to reveal a large ration of intolerance, and she had heard every slur and stereotype in the book. A village that welcomed her wholeheartedly was a lovely change of pace, especially when she was invited to take place in the local gossip.

"...you believe it? A fire at the Jade Palace, of all places!"

Koh Rin started, turning to the pig dominating the discussion. "A fire?"

"Yes! And it wasn't even Po's fault this time!"

This brought a hearty chuckle from the group, and while Koh Rin halfheartedly joined in, she was nervous. Sure, a simple fire could have been just that: a minor accident, but what were the odds of it happening so soon after she arrived...

"And you're staying with his father, aren't you Koh?"

"Hm? His father?"

"Yes. Mr. Ping is Po's father."

Koh Rin blinked. "The...the goose is the panda's-"

"Adopted."

"Ah. Of course. I wasn't aware of that." She picked up her bag and slung it over her wing, smiling. "Speaking of Mr. Ping, I should return. I've offered to assist with the lunch rush today in exchange for his hospitality. Good bye."

Sent off with a chorus of well-wishes, the crane made her way back to the main street. As much as she enjoyed down time and being viewed as a part of a group, the news from the Jade Palace was severely disconcerting. And she had to wonder if her mysterious guide had led her to the noodle shop solely because of the proprietor's relation to the Dragon Warrior. Maybe she'd be able to interact with him earlier than expected...

As she stepped out of the side street, distracted, she walked headlong into a citizen. She fell flat on her back, bag flopping down an an item or two rolling out across the ground. She blinked, sunlight and shock overwhelming her vision, and a kind but embarrassed voice rang out above her. "Oh gosh, I am SO sorry! Are you alright?"

She nodded, sitting up and shaking her head. "I'm just fine, sir, and I'm sorry, I should have been paying attention."

The panda helped her to her feet, handing her the dropped bag. "No, it's my fault, I was in a hurry and wasn't looking myself," he smiled, shrugged, and started to continue up the street, "sorry! See you around!"

Koh Rin brushed herself off, surprised. "Huh. Is everyone in this valley so amicable?"

She made her way to the noodle shop, ducking in and swerving around customers on her way to the kitchen. Several greeted her by name, and she waved back.

"Ah, Miss Koh Rin! Good to see you made it back alright. What a shame, you just missed my son Po."

"...oh. The panda, right?"

"Yes ma'am! My beautiful little Dragon Warrior boy."

"..."

Koh Rin ducked into the next room to slip on an apron, and slammed her head into the wall. "I am a damned idiot."

* * *

Po reached the top of the steps, stretching and yawning. Nobody in the Palace had gotten much sleep the night before, and once the afternoon training was done a few naps might have been called for. He started to head back to the Training Hall, when he stepped on a sharp little object. Jumping back and shouting, he glanced down, surprised to see a tiny carved stone at his feet. He picked it up and examined it. The stone had been craved into a little pointed hexagonal prism, with a serpentine pattern etched into the flat surfaces. A little hook was attached to a cord at the top. An earring.

"Where did this come from?"

Po figured a guest may have dropped it, and pocketed it. He'd ask Shifu or the ladies of the Five later; maybe they would know.


End file.
